Phonograph record control mechanism



p 7- H. B. BURHOE 1 2,093,862

PHONOGRAPH RECORD CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 10, 1936 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNlTED STATES .zpsassz PHONOGRAPH RECORD CONTROL MECHANISM Herbert Burton Burhoe, Astoria, N. Y. Application September 10, 1936, Serial No. 100,129

9 Claims.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in control devices for positioning the phonograph or sound-reproduction record or member in active position for use or changing it .5 from an inactive or idle restrained position into a service position where it is enabled immediately to function in producing sounds or a program or part of a program which may be contained in or on a record member.

These improvements have an eflicient value in conjunction with so -called radio programs which are placed upon the air through the instrumentality of a microphone or similar instrument. Said programs consist of a great variety of parts of different kinds offered by numerous performers, voices, or in the rendition of musical numbers prominent among which as a substitute for other forms of program service is the use of phonograph records. These are used in connection with machines of the class employing a revolvable turn table driven by an electric or other means which rotates a record superposed thereon, there being a tone arm, sound box and a needle to engage the grooves in the record and cause the reproduction of various sounds or bits of music, or speeches, or programs of various kinds in an infinite variety which are accurately presented before the microphones and thereby are placed upon the air as a part of the material used in the studio programs. The record when properly superposed on the revolving turn table of the machine produces the piece that is written thereon in consequence of the action of the needle during the revolution of the record. This takes place directly in front of the microphone or in proper relation thereto, so that the voice or other sound will be accurately taken up and transmitted.

In service of this nature one of the most im- 40 portant things to be looked after in the current presentation of broadcast programs where phonograph records are utilized to offer a part of or the entire list of features, is to insure that the record shall begin to function and sound its program'at the proper instant. Thepart of the program which is on the record is often required to be instantaneously offered in conjunction with the other features. Ordinarily when a record is placed upon the revolving turn table it may take several revolutions before the needle will be so related to the proper point in the groove as to cause a reproduction of the desired lines. Obviously when the record lies flat upon the turn table the revolutions of the latter will revolve the record with proportionate speed. When the turn table is electrically driven this speed is uniform at all times.

If the record therefore is placed upon the turn table, the latter will immediately take it up and carry it forward at the same speed, and if before the record is thus caused to lie fiat upon the turn table the needle has been located in proper position relatively to that partof the program-which is to be reproduced thereby, then the operation of the machine will contribute exactly the right part of the article of the record with the general broadcast program where it is required. If the record is held in some restrained position relatively to the turn table with the needle properly placed by the attendant so that when the'revolution of the record takes place the voice or program of the record will immediately begin to be heard, it becomes desirable to'provide means by which the temporarily restrained phonograph record may be lodged upon the revolving table. so that the latter will take it up and carry it forward without an instants delay, whereby an offering of the musical part of the record is' contributed at the predetermined instant;

My improved device for controlling the position of the phonograph record with reference to the instant of the reproduction of the sound in the program constitutes my invention and consists of various simple, easily constructed and effectively related parts. The operative balance of the record depends upon the fact that it is firmly mounted upon the revolving turn table in an inclined position with only 'one small segment of its periphery resting upon the table which slips frictionally thereunder, the contact being insufficient to cause a rotation of the record. The highest edge of the record at a point opposite to the low edge which rests on the turn table is held thus elevated by electrical or mechanical means under the control of an electromagnet in an electric circuit wherein is a push button convenient for the use of the superintendent of the studio. In one form of the combination this push button will cause the elevated part of the record to be released and to drop upon the turn table which will instantly pick it up and revolve it and. thereby instantaneously produce the part of the program which it is desired to take from the service of such record.

The primary object of the invention is therefore to provide means whereby a phonograph may be instantaneously set in operation with full effect in the production of the part of the program for which it is used, the same being done by means as simple as a push button. This may be obviously i arranged and combined with the phonograph in a variety of ways and examples of the same will be indicated herein.

In order to carry out the main purpose of the invention, therefore, means are provided for holding the phonograph record in a restrained relation to the actuating member which revolves it, said means being under the control of the attendant at all times so that at any instant the record can be released and brought into action. And the invention may also be said to comprise numerous details and peculiarities in the con-v struction, arrangement and combination of the various parts substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation in partial section of my improved control device for regulating the position of a record in the phonograph, and shows an electric circuit including a button for controlling the same and the electromagnet in said circuit.

FigureZ is a perspective detail of an alternate form of magnet provided with means for adjusting the height of the record.

Figure 3 is a perspective view indicating a modified arrangement of the electromagnet and means whereby the record is held in its inactive position.

Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of another form of the invention which shows an electromagnet which is adjustable with reference to the periphery of the record to which it is related.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout all the different figures of the drawing.

I denotes a phonograph record of any common and well known type which may have any design and shape, being the usual disk although I do not wish to be restricted even to that.

2 denotes the turn table of the phonograph machine actuated preferably by electrical means, not shown, but means by which it may be kept in a continuous state of revolution as long as may be desired. With the turn table are correlated the usual essential parts of such a sound reproducing mechanism, among which I mention the tone arm 3 arranged in connection with a sound box and carrying the needle 4 which occupies a vertical position and when the tone arm is already set needle 4 enters the groove of the record I providing the latter is in proper position to receive it.

The record I when in use rests by its own weight upon the table 2 and is usually perforated atthe center to engage the vertical pin 24 which may be the upper end of the spindle upon which the turn table 2 revolves.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig, l, which is a preferred form, although I do not wish by any means to be restricted thereto, though I offer it as one which has produced good results, an electromagnet shell 6 rests on the surface contiguous to the periphery of the turn table and projecting from the shell 6 is the electromagnet proper I. This magnet I has the function of holding one edge of the record at any suspended position, This is accomplished by providing the edge of the record I at one point with a metal clip 5 of soft iron or some other suitable substance which bites over the edge of the record and when the electromagnet I is energized it will contact thereto and hold firmly the clip 5 and thus keep the record in the position shown in Fig. 4, where one edge is considerably above the surface of the table 2, while another portion of the edge at 25 adjacent to the needle 4, rests on the table 2.

When the phonograph is out of use and is not serving in the rendition of the parts of the program, the parts will be related to each other as they are represented in Fig. 1. At some suitable and convenient point in the studio is placed a push button 8, which is operably a push button of the 2-point break kind but which may be a push button of the 2-point make kind which is in the electric circuit 9 and when such circuit is closed through the electromagnet and the latter is energized then the record is held with one edge elevated as shown. At this time therefore, the operator by pushing the button 8 can break the circuit and deenergize the magnet and thus release the record I so that it will fall into a horizontal position on the turn table 2 whereby the record will be instantly caught up and rotated at the rate of revolution of table 2 causing obviously the needle 4 to function and sounds to be emitted thereby from the record.

In the form of the invention represented in Fig. 3 the record I is similarly provided with a metal clip 5 attached to the edge and removable at will, being simply an iron or other metal clip which will be held firmly by the electromagnet when the latter is energized.

Clip 5 in Fig. 3 is the same as it is in Fig. 1, except that it is provided with a projecting pin Alongside of the edge of the record I, is another form of electromagnet shell I E carrying the electromagnet II. Further an inverted U-shaped spring I4 has at one end a ring I5 which encircles the magnet core II, and is held thereto firmly and strongly at any desired point by means of a clamp I6. The free leg of the U-shaped device I l carries a soft iron pole piece IZexactly in horizontal alignment with the electromagnet I6 and adapted to be drawn close up against the end of the member II when the latter is electrified. Also the end of the leg I4 is perforated at 22 to engage the pin I3. When the pole I2 is drawn up against the end of the member II, the spring arm I4 disengages itself from the pin I3 which is thus removed from the hole 22. Therefore, assuming that the electromagnet II is included within the electric. cir- J cuit having a push button similarly to the plan in Fig. 1, it will be evident that when the button is pushed and the electromagnet thereby eneriii gized the pole I2 will be drawn to the end of the member II and thus the record I will be set I record desired by the operator, who will have previouslyplaced the needle on the record at the exact point before starting in order to obtain the best results.

A cooperative feature is indicated in Fig. 2 wherein I have shown the same electromagnet II projecting from its shell I II, but on the end of the magnet core I! held in position by means of a set screw I8.

I4 may be released by II I place an eccentric disk be desired and-thus regulating *the inclination or the record with reference to the horizontal surface of theturn table, This can be used in conjunction with the forinof the invention shown in Fig. 1 or other forms as may be preferred.

In Fig. 4 I have delineated a modified arrangement for the electromagnet and a means for adjusting its position relatively to the periphery of the record. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the shell of the electromagnet which contains the wire winding, etc., is of suitable weight, that is to say, it is heavy enough to remain firmly in any position where it is placed without requiring any fasteners to hold it in place. Being thus heavy, it can be adjusted with relation to the record so as to bring the end of the electromagnet into proper position with relation to the record clip 5 with which it functions. It is possible however, that it will be more advantageous in certain locations and with certain forms of machine, to use a different construction which may be fastened down, and an example of this is shown in the use of the support 6a, Fig. 4, the same having a base 30 which is fastened by screws or clamps to some convenient support near the record. Support 6a is a suitable block through which passes a rod 23 which is adjustable in the support 611 and is held in any desired position by means of the clamp 2i. Said rod 23 carries. at its outer end the electromagnet casing l9, having the core Zll on the under side thereof, which core is adapted to contact with the record clip 5. Thus the electromagnet can be located with proper relation to the periphery of the record I by adjusting the rod 23 in the support Go. The record l is arranged above the turn table 2 in the same manner as in Fig. 1, and when the circuit is closed through the electromagnet the core 20 will hold the clip 5 close against itself and thus keep the edge of the record l elevated above the table 2 so that it may occupy an inclined position on said table with the end 25 resting on the table. The operation of this form of the invention is the same as in Fig. 1, for the electromagnet is in the circuit which has a push button and when the latter is operated the current is broken and the clip 5 released from the armature 20 allowing the record l to drop upon the turn table and be instantaneously set in rotary motion by the latter so that sounds are produced by the operation of the pin that engages the record in the ordinary way. This alternative form of the electromagnet and the somewhat different arrangement of the parts furnish a specimen of the invention adapted for appropriate use in many locations.

It will be understood that various changes in the details of the embodiment of my invention may be made without departing therefrom and that the means for temporarily restraining the revolution of a record may be applied to all sorts of sound machines as phonographs, graphophones and many kinds of different musical and vocal instruments whose purpose it is to reproduce mechanically various kinds of programs which have been incorporated in a record device having the requisite qualities. Therefore the invention so far as its details are concerned, may be changed and rearranged in many different ways; and I reserve the liberty of making all such:

changes as may bepossible within the scope of? ii-m co'rnbination' "with phonograph meicha nism: including a rotary-support; 'means forhold I ing the *r'cord in a stationary -inclined. position with its lower edge resting on said support, said means being releasable instantaneously to allow the record to drop upon the support and begin to function.

2. In combination with a phonograph mechanism including a rotary support and a tone arm carrying a needle, means for supporting a record in position above the table with one edge resting on the latter, said means being releasable to drop the record upon the said table.

3. A phonograph record in combination with a detachable clip applied to the edge thereof and an electromagnet arranged in connection with said clip so that the record may be kept in a stationary position except when the circuit is broken to release the same, and rotating mechanism beneath the record for revolving the same when released, together with a needle device operating in the grooves of the record when the latter is placed to rotate.

4. The combination in a phonograph apparatus, of a rotary table and devices whereby a needle is caused to engage the record for the production of sounds when the record is revolved, and means for holding a record in an inclined position above the table with one edge resting on the latter, said means operating instantaneously through the action of an electric circuit to cause the record to lie flat on the table and be rotated therewith.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a grooved record, a tone arm and its needle and a revolving turn table, of a clip attached to the periphery of the record and an electromagnet engaging such clip so that when energized the record may occupy a restrained lifted position, and when the electromagnet circuit is broken the record may be caught by the table and instantaneously revolved.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a phonograph record, a detachable clip applied to the edge thereof, an electromagnet, an inverted spring adapted to engage the electromagnet and carrying the pole adjoining the pole of the electromagnet, and an electric circuit for controlling the action of the electromagnet in order to release the record instantaneously when required in the production of a program.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a phonograph mechanism including a turn table, of a program record, a metal clip applied to the edge thereof, an electromagnet, a spring applied thereto and carrying a pole member, said spring being adapted to engage the aforesaid clip and an electric circuit through the electromagnet and operable to hold the phonograph recordin a stationary position and to release the same instantaneously when required for the purpose of producing the program in a proper manner.

8. In combination with a sound reproducing mechanism including a sound box and a needle adapted to engage the grooves in a record, of a record supported on a turn table at one edge with the other edge raised, and means for holding said edge at times in a raised position, but adapted to release said edge at other times to allow the record to fall upon the table, said means 4 1 anemone-.-

includingan-electromagnetin'a circuit having a clip so that-the record may be-kept in a staswitch. v tionary position except 'whenthe circuit is con- 9. In combination with a. phonograph mecha trolled to release the same, and rotating mechanism including a rotary support "and a tone arm nism beneath the record for revolving. the same carrying a needle, a phonograph record and 'a. when released..

detachable 1' clip applied to the edge thereof, on electromagnet arranged in; connection with "said- HERBERT l3. BURHOE. 

